How to Write a Faster & More Authentic Draft, with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.This week, I interview Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, an author, speaker, and Choctaw storyteller from Texas who has published 19 books. Sarah writes historical fiction, primarily focusing on American Indian characters, particularly from her own Choctaw heritage. Her *Choctaw Tribune* series, for example, highlights the Choctaw people, although she also includes characters from other tribes like the Chickasaw and Cherokee. Sarah shares the importance of writing about American Indian characters authentically. We discuss her frustrations with historical fiction's common stereotypes and how Native characters were often depicted inaccurately. And then we talk about the use of dictation in writing, a technique she has mastered to write more efficiently and comfortably. Dictation has doubled her writing speed, allowing her to produce up to 4,000 words an hour, making it easier on her body and reducing the exhaustion associated with typing.